NT Reporter| Panaji
Goa has received the Svayam Award for the Most Accessible State at the first-ever National Accessibility Summit held in Delhi.
The Svayam Awards recognise organisations contributing to building an accessible ecosystem for persons with disabilities and those with reduced mobility. Now in its fourth edition, this is the first time a state has been honoured with the award.
The summit was organised by the accessibility organisation Svayam in collaboration with UNESCO and the CII Foundation. Minister for Social Welfare Subhash Phal Dessai, along with Manoj Patil, APS to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, accepted the award on behalf of the Goa government.
The event brought together policymakers, business leaders, and sector experts to discuss the role of accessibility in driving economic growth, especially in sectors such as sports, tourism, transport, and ICT.
In this first effort to recognise state governments creating inclusive policies for persons with reduced mobility, the award was conferred on Goa by Svayam founder chairperson and Jindal SAW Managing Director, Savitri Jindal, chairperson of the Jindal Group.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, in a video message, congratulated Jindal for her work in the field of accessibility and highlighted the state government’s efforts to make infrastructure in sports and tourism accessible for residents and visitors alike.